Washing-machine



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD COLLINS, OF CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 16,7' 15, dated March 3, 1857.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD COLLINS, of Chicopee, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Washing-Machine; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1, denotes a top view of said machine. Fig. 2 a front elevation of it, and Fig. 3, a central, vertical and longitudinal section of it.

In these drawings, A, exhibits an elongated tub or reservoir, having a fluted or channeled bottom, b, whose flutes, a, a, are extended transversely across it. lVithin the said tub is a rectangular dasher or floatable platform B, whose length is about three fourths of that of the interior of the tub, while its width is a very little less than that of the said interior. The lower side of this dasher is channeled or iuted transversely. This is also the case with the channels of the bed or bottom of the reservoir A.

Arranged over the platform dasheris a connecting rod or pitman C, which turns at its outer end on a wrist or crank D, extending from a horizontal shaft E, supported in brackets, F, F, that are fastened to and extend above one end of the box A. From the inner end of the pitman C, an arm b', eX- tends downward and carries at its lower end a bail, z', which rests in a socket or round cavity, y', formed on the top of the dasher as seen in the drawings. A fly or balance wheel G, is fixed on the shaft E, and has a crank, H, extended from it, the same enabling a person by applying his hand to the crank to revolve the shaft and put the dasher in reciprocating rectilinear movement. Under such an arrangement of the mechanism, the oatable platform dasher is free to rise up and down and accommodate itself to the vamount of water and clothing that then may and the water, it does not rub them so as to wear them, but simply forces the water through them in such manner as to cleanse wit-hout injuring them. The facility with which the dasher may be removed from the tub will be apparent.

In order to keep the ball, i, in the cavity y', and also to enable the pitman at any time to be detached from the dasher. I employ a spring latch L, arranged on the top of the dasher, and formed and made to turn upon a pin or screw Z, as shown in the drawings. Within the dasher, or, the longitudinal bar, m, thereof I arrange two or any other suitable number of cylindrical or other proper shaped cavities, M, each of which I provide with a cover o, and a passage P, leading out of its bottom and downward through the dasher. This passage, I provide with a faucet or stopcock R, by which it may be opened or closed more or less as occasion may require. These chambers are intended to contain soap or a saponaceous liquid or composition such as may be required in the process of washing. By opening the stop cock of each chamber a little, the soapy contents of each chamber, will be brought into contact with the water in the tub A, while the machine may be in use: and, consequently, the chambers will supply the soap that may be necessary to the process of washing. These chambers may be constructed of such size, as to hold soap sufficient for one or, several washings-and after each operation has been concluded, the faucet of the chambers may be closed so as to prevent waste of the soap. l

What I claim as my invention is- Combining with and arranging in the vibratory dasher as described, one or more soap receptacles or chambers, each provided with an aperture of discharge and a stopcock or faucet or the equivalent therefor dispo'sed substantially in manner and so as to operate as herein before specified.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature.

RICHARD COLLINS.

Witnesses:

GEO. M. STEARNS, Mosns W. CHAPIN. 

